FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana University freshman Jordan Wells became the second Lion in four years to earn Freshman of the Year honors while six additional players earned Southland Conference honors as the league announced its all-conference teams on Tuesday.

Simmie Yarborough earned first-team All-Southland Conference honors at wide receiver for the Lions while center Josh Penton and defensive back Robert Alford were second-team selections. Named to the honorable mention team were Wells as a return specialist, wide receiver Brandon Collins, offensive lineman Gasten Gabriel and punter Matt McCormick.

Wells joined Yarborough, the 2008 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, in earning the league's yearly honor after setting the Southland's single-season record in kickoff return yardage. The Round Rock, Texas, native returned 52 kickoffs for 1,383 yards in 2011, breaking the previous record of 1,055 yards set by Texas State's Karrington Bush in 2008.

His 26.6 yards per return ranks 15th in the FCS and third among freshmen. Against Central Arkansas in October, Wells totaled 265 yards on nine kickoff returns that also included a 91-yard return. Wells is a finalist for the inaugural Jerry Rice Award, which will be presented to the top freshman in the FCS in Jaunary.

Yarborough, who was named to the All-Conference team for the third consecutive year, caught a career-high 61 passes in 2011 for Southeastern and finished as the school's all-time leader in receptions (229), yards (2,780) and TDs (30). The Brookhaven, Miss., native also became the Southland Conference's all-time leader in receptions and finished tied for second in school history in total touchdowns and tied for third in points scored (182).

Penton, a three-year starter at center, started in all 11 games for the Lions and anchored a line that helped Southeastern finish 11th overall in passing offense. The Splendora, Texas, native played the majority of the season with a stress fracture in his heel and started 33 consecutive games for the Lions.

Alford, a former Hammond High product, led Southeastern with five interceptions and finished tied for eighth nationally. The junior, who missed the entire 2010 season to injury, finished sixth on the team in tackles (52) and led Southeastern with 12 passes defended. Alford recorded all five interceptions in Southland Conference play, including a 64-yard return for a touchdown at Central Arkansas.

Collins tied Yarborough for the team-lead with 61 receptions while leading the team with five touchdown receptions. The Brenham, Texas, native caught touchdown passes in three consecutive games for the Lions and caught a career-best 11 passes for 140 yards at UCA.

Gabriel, a sophomore from Jackson, started all 11 games at left tackle for the Lions as he replaced former All-Southland Conference pick and current member of the St. Louis Rams, Kevin Hughes.

McCormick, a sophomore from Covington, took over the punting duties midway through the season and averaged 41.5 yards per attempt. The former Covington High product recorded seven punts over 50 yards, including a season-best 61-yard attempt at Stephen F. Austin, and placed 12 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

After going a perfect 11-0 during the regular season, Sam Houston State claimed four of the six individual football awards in the Southland Conference, headlined by running back Tim Flanders who was named the conference player of the year.

Bearkat wide receiver Richard Sincere was named the league offensive player of the year; safety Darnell Taylor was named the defensive player of the year; and head coach Willie Fritz was named the Southland coach of the year. Additionally, Stephen F. Austin defensive end Willie Jefferson was named the conference newcomer of the year.

Flanders, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, set conference records with 22 touchdowns and 132 points this season. His 20 rushing touchdowns tied former Bearkat Luther Turner, who ran for 20 scores in 1987. The sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., is averaging 103.0 rushing yards per game after running for 100 yards or more six times this season and 13 times in his career. His 1,094 rushing yards this season is a school record by a sophomore and is the fourth-best single-season total in school history. Flanders became the ninth Bearkat to total more than 2,000 career rushing yards, entering the NCAA Division I playoffs with 2,043 yards in two seasons. He also leads the Bearkats in receiving, totaling 404 yards and two touchdowns on 27 receptions. Flanders, who is averaging 139.7 all-purpose yards per game, is the fourth Bearkat to be named the Southland player of the year, joining Chris Chaloupka (1999), Josh McCown (2001) and Dustin Long (2004).

Sincere, a wide receiver who also lines up behind center in the “Wild Bearkat” formation, finished second on the team, behind Flanders, in rushing with an average of 66.5 yards per game. That is the third best average in the conference this season. He has scored nine touchdowns and totaled 732 yards on 93 carries. He ran for 100 yards or more four times this season. During conference play, the sophomore from Galveston, Texas, averaged 82.4 yards per game and 9.6 yards per carry. Sincere added two receiving touchdowns and caught 21 passes for 394 yards, averaging 102.4 all-purpose yards per game. He is the third Bearkat to be named the offensive player of the year, joining Chaloupka (1999) and D.D. Terry (2006).

The Flanders-Sincere tandem has helped Sam Houston average 250.09 rushing yards per game, which is the seventh best total in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Bearkats rank second in the FCS in scoring offense, putting up 39.45 points per game.

Taylor captains a Sam Houston defense that paces the nation against the run, limiting opponents to only 59.0 rushing yards per game. It also has the nation's top scoring defense, allowing only 12.64 points per game. Taylor, a junior from Mesquite, Texas, leads the Bearkats with 89 tackles and has six tackles for loss and three sacks. He also has forced three fumbles and has one interception. The Bearkats have created 34 turnovers this year, including 19 interceptions and 15 fumbles and have turned them into 117 points. Taylor is just the second player in school history to earn defensive player of the year honors, joining Keith Davis (2000).

In just his second year in Huntsville, Fritz has led the Bearkats to a perfect 11-0 regular-season record, a No. 1 ranking in the polls and the top national seed in the NCAA Division I championship, which begins Saturday. Sam Houston, which was 7-0 in conference games, has a first-round bye and will host its first playoff game in the second round against either Stony Brook or Albany. Among the wins was a victory over New Mexico, a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision's Mountain West Conference. The Bearkats are the only undefeated team in the FCS and join LSU and Houston as the only unbeaten teams in Division I. Sam Houston is riding a 13-game win streak into the playoffs, which is the longest streak in the nation. Fritz is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year. Fritz, who is 17-5 in two seasons at Sam Houston, is the second Bearkat coach to earn coach of the year honors. He joins Ron Randleman, who earned the award in 1991 and 2001.

Jefferson is the third player from Stephen F. Austin to be named the newcomer of the year, joining Duane Brooks in 2008 and Andre Banks in 2009 to give the Lumberjacks the conference newcomer of the year three of the last four seasons. A transfer from Baylor, the junior from Beaumont, Texas, led the conference with 16 sacks totaling 112 yards. He also made 28 tackles, two interceptions, forced a fumble and recovered another. He recorded 12 sacks in his last four games and tied the conference record with five quarterback sacks against McNeese State in October. The Lumberjacks lead the FCS in sacks with 4.36 per game and tackles for loss with 10.18 per game.

Sam Houston State led all conference teams with eight first-team all-conference selections and a total of 15 student-athletes on the two all-conference squads. Flanders was a first-team running back, while Sincere earned first-team honors at the halfback/fullback position. Taylor was a first-team selection on the defensive line. They were joined on the first team Travis Watson and Chris Crockett, who received the most votes among offensive linemen; defensive lineman J.T. Cleveland; linebacker Will Henry; and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins. The Bearkats' seven second-team honorees are quarterback Brian Bell, offensive lineman Kaleb Hopson, defensive linemen Andrew Weaver and Gary Lorance, defensive backs Dax Swanson and Bookie Sneed and punter Matt Foster.

Nine student-athletes from Central Arkansas were named to the all-conference teams, including four first-team selections: quarterback Nathan Dick, offensive lineman Dominique Allen, defensive lineman Jermayne Lett and linebacker Seth Allison. Among the Bears' five second-team all-conference selections are running back Jackie Hinton, receiver Jessie Grandy, offensive lineman Logan Roubique, kicker Eddie Camara and defensive back Jestin Love.

Stephen F. Austin placed seven student-athletes on the all-conference team, including first-team selections Cordell Roberson at wide receiver, George Bias on the offensive line and Jefferson on the defensive line. Northwestern State had six all-conference selections, including tight end Justin Aldredge and kicker John Shaughnessy, who each earned first-team honors. McNeese State and Nicholls State each had five all-conference picks. All five Cowboys earned first-team honors, including running back Andre Anderson, offensive lineman Alec Savoie, defensive lineman Desmund Lighten and defensive backs Malcolm Bronson and Darrell Jenkins. Among the Colonels' picks were first-team honorees Bobby Felder at defensive back, Cory Kemps at punter and Chika Madu as the return specialist.

Playing its first season in the Southland since 1986, Lamar had two second-team all-conference selections.

There are 20 student-athletes who have been named to the all-conference teams previously, including Yarborough, Lighten, Bronson and Darrell Jenkins, who are earning kudos for the third time in their careers. A total of 49 student-athletes earned honorable mention all-conference honors. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from at least 25 percent of all voters.

The all-conference teams are comprised of 13 first-team and second-team members. Each coach nominates players from his own team. The teams are selected by vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, who cannot vote for their own players.

Player of the Year: Tim Flanders, Sam Houston State
Offensive Player of the Year: Richard Sincere, Sam Houston State
Defensive Player of the Year: Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Wells, Southeastern Louisiana
Newcomer of the Year: Willie Jefferson, Stephen F. Austin
Coach of the Year: Willie Fritz, Sam Houston State